Apparatus for casting concrete panels



Oct. 14, 1969 H. sLAvlN 3,471,910

APPARATUS FOR CASTING CONCRETE PANELS Filed Dec. 27. 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet1 g N4 F162 INVENTOR Hozm fam'n 1 Y f v. A

" ATTORNEY Oct. 14, 1969 H. sLAvlN 3,471,910

APPARATUS FOR CASTING CONCRETE PANELS Filed Dec. 27, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR Hmm Slaw'n ATTORNEY Oct. 14, 1969 H. sLAv|N 3,471,910

APPARATUS FOR CASTING CONCRTE PANELS Filed Dec. 27, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet5 IN VE NTOR United States Patent O 3,471,910 APPARATUS FR CASTINGCONCRETE PANELS Haim Slavin, 43 Frislrman St., Tel Aviv, Israel FiledDec. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 604,941 Claims priority, application lsraei,Jan. 7, 1966,

s im. c1. azsb 7/00, 1/08 ILS. Cl. 25-41 9 Claims ABSTRACT F THEDISCLOSURE The present invention relates to apparatus for castingconcrete panels, an object of the invention being to provide a new andimproved vertical mould for casting concrete panels on a mass productionbasis.

Briefly, the invention provides apparatus for casting concrete panelsincluding a resiliently mounted frame structure having a pair of sideframes and a base frame, and at least two (preferably three) mould sideplates supported in vertical position on the base frame and in spacedrelationship with respect to each other between the side rames. Theapparatus also includes a vibrating head for vibrating the framestructure and the mould side plates, the vibrating head being detachablyattached to the upper end of the side frames and rigidly bridging samewhen attached.

Further features of the invention will be apparent from the descriptionbelow.

The invention is herein described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings which illustrate, somewhat diagrammatically and by way ofexample only, a preferred embodiment. In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a topplan view of a vertical concrete mould constructed in accordance withthe invention, with the vibrator removed; FIG. 2 is an end elevationalview of the concrete mould of FIG. l; FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of aportion of the concrete mould; FIG. 4 is a top plan view of thevibrating head used with the concrete mould of FIG. l; and FIG. 5 is alongitudinal sectional view through the vibrating head of FIG. 4 andillustrating its mode of attachment to the apparatus.

With reference to the drawings, there is shown a vertical concrete mouldincluding an inner frame structure, generally designated 2, including apair of side frames 4 and 6 and a base frame 8. Frame structure 2 isresiliently mounted by means of springs 10 and rubber pads 11 interposedbetween the base frame 8 and concrete pedestals 12 disposed on theground. Surrounding frame structure 2 is another frame, generallydesignated 14, which is Xedly secured to the ground and braced by aplurality of braces 16. To distinguish between the resiliently mountedframe structure 2 and the xed frame structure 14, the former willhereinafter be referred to as the inner frame and the latter as theouter frame.

Mounted on the base 8 of inner frame 2 are three vertical mould sideplates 18, and 22. These plates are disposed in side-by-siderelationship and dene the sides of two moulds each adapted to produce aconcrete panel, middle mould side plate 20 being common to the twomoulds. Middle plate 20 is iixed, and the two outside mould side plates18 and 22 are movable toward and away from 20 in order to open and closethe mould Mice and also to vary the thickness of the concrete panelproduced by the moulds. This will be described more fully below.

The apparatus further includes a vibrating head, generally designated 24(FIGS. 2, 4 and 5), attached to and rigidly bridging the tops of theside frames 4 and 6.

As illustrated, the apparatus is disposed in a pit 26 formed in theground, and a concrete applicator, generally designated 28, is adaptedto reciprocate back and forth on ground level to pour the concrete intothe two moulds. The concrete applicator 28 is diagrammatically shown asincluding a concrete mixer 30 and a conveyor belt 32.

Also disposed over the mould apparatus is a crane 34 supporting a hook36 which is used for applying and removing the vibrator 24 from themould. These are also used for introducing a reinforcing wire assembly(not shown) into the moulds, and further, for removing the cast concretepanels and transporting them to another location, all as more fullydescribed in my patent application No. 604,991. Crane 34 is movedlongitudinally of the mould apparatus by means of its wheels 38 mountedon tracks 40 provided on each side of the pit 26. Hook 36 is mounted oncrane 34 so as to be movable transversely of the apparatus.

The apparatus further includes a pair of end plates 42 provided at theends of the mould defined by side plates 18 and 20, and a second pair ofend plates 44 at the ends of the mould defined by side plates 20 and 22.Both pairs of end plates are movable toward and away from each other byhydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical devices, diagrammatically indicatedat 46, for changing the length of the moulds and of the concrete panelscast by the moulds. The moulds further include bottom plates 48, whichcan also be adjustable, or replaceable with those of differentdimensions, for varying the height of the panels produced.

FIG. 3 illustrates the means for moving one of the mould side plates 18toward and away from the middle mould plate 20 in order to open andclose the mould, it being understood that a similar arrangement isprovided with respect to the other movable mould side plate 22. For thispurpose, the outer frame 14 carries first a plurality of pneumatic orhydraulic motive devices 50 in a horizontal line (there being preferablylive, but only one being seen in FIG. 3), and a second plurality ofsimilar devices 52 disposed in a line below devices 50. Each of thedevices 50 and 52 includes a cylinder and a movable piston, the pistonrods 54 and 56 being connected to crossbeams 58 and 60 which are in turnrigidly connected to each other by vertical beams 62 so that all theelements 58, 60 and 62 move together as a unit. Beams 58 and 60 areyielding coupled to plates 64 and 66, the latter being rigidly securedto a plurality of rods 68 and 70 which pass through the inner framemember 4 and are attached at their opposite ends to movable side plate18. The yielding couplings between members 58 and 64 and members 60 and66 include inserts or sheets of resilient material 72 and 74, such asrubber, interposed between these members. Nuts 76 are threaded at theends of bolts 78 loosely passing through members 58 and 64, a similararrangement being provided with respect to nuts 80 and bolts 82yieldingly coupling members 60 and 66 together. The couplings are suchthat the displacement of piston rods 54 and 56 moves mould plate 18(rightwardly or leftwardly in FIG. 3) in order to close and open themould, but the yielding coupling described permits the mould side plate18 (and lthe rods 68 and 70 rigid thereto) to vibrate withouttransmitting the vibrations to the outer frame 14.

For bracing the mould side plate 18 during the period of vibration, aplurality of movable blocks 84 and 86 are supported on plates 88 and 90rigidly secured to frame member 4 of the inner frame structure. Themould side plate 18 is provided with a plurality of rigidly attachedrods 92 and 94 passing through openings in plates 88 and 90. Blocks 84and 86 are formed with tapering surfaces iso that they can be wedgedtightly against the ends of rods 92 and 94 when the side plate 18 isexactly positioned and before the vibrating means is yto be operated.

The vibrating means 24 includes a vibrator frame 102 which is attachedto the top of the inner frame by means of tapered pins 104 passingthrough depending beams 106 carried lby the vibrator frame 102 andplatesv 108 carried at the upper end of the inner frame 2. The walls ofthe vibrator frame 102 are trough-shaped for channeling the concrete mixinto the spaces between the mould side plates 18, 20 and 22. Inaddition, the vibrator frame 102 includes a plurality of tapered pins110 adapted to be received in openings formed -at the upper'end of themiddle mould side plate 20, for securely holding the latter in position.The lower end of the mould plate 20 is also formed With a plurality ofopenings receiving tapered pins 112 (FIG. 2) carried on the base frame 8of the inner frame 2. The middle mould plate 20 is thus securely held inposition.

A vibrator motor 114 (FIG. 4) is carried at one end of the vibrator 24,and a second vibrator motor 116 is carried at the opposite end, in adiagonally opposed corner with respect to motor 114.

The operation of the apparatus will be apparent from the foregoingdescription. Assuming that the vibrator 24 is unattached to theapparatus, the side plates 18 and 22 may be moved away from middle plate20 in order to open the moulds. This is done by operating the hydraulicor pneumatic devices 50, 52 (and similar devices for 'plate 22). Also,the end plates 42 and 44 may Ibe moved to their open positions byoperating devices 46. Usually a reinforcing wire -assembly as describedin my above-referenced patent application No. 604,991 is then instertedinto each of the two moulds, although this is not necessary. The mouldsare then closed by the device 50, 52 and 46, and the blocks 84 and 86are then tightly wedged against rods 92 and 94 to brace ythe mould sideplates 18 and 22 in their closed positions. The vibrating head isattached over the top of the inner frame 2 by means of pins 104, and themould is now in condition for receiving the concrete and for operating.the vibrating means.

The concrete mix is applied through the top of the vibrator 24 where itis channeled by the trough-shaped Walls of the vibrator into the mouldsbetween plates 18, 20 and 22, the vibrator being operated during theapplication of the concrete. In addition, the side plates of the mouldare preferably heated so as to accelerate the setting of the concrete.

After the concrete mix has been applied, the vibrator 24 may be detachedfrom the mould and moved to another mould while the concrete sets in thefirst mould. Once the concrete has set sufficiently so that the panel isrigid (about three hours after filling), the moulds are opened by firstreleasing blocks 84 and 86 and then withdrawing the side plates 18 and2, as described earlier.

It Will be appreciated that until the vibrator 24 is attached to themould apparatus, the mould is very flexible in Ithat the side plates maybe opened and closed and may be adjusted according to the dimensions ofthe concrete panel to be produced. However, once the vibrator isattached, there is formed a rigid assembly which vibrates as a unit onsprings with all the mould side plates securely held in position againsttwisting or deformation. In addition, the mould plates are preferably ofsubstantially uniform construction throughout their whole lengths, thusfurther minimizing deformation or distortion that might be caused byheat or mechanical stresses.

It is to be understood that the described embodiment of the invention isillustrative only, and that many other embodiments, variations andapplications of the invention, or the several features thereofdisclosed, may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of theinvention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for casting concrete panels comprising a frame structurehaving a pair of side frames and a base frame, at least two mould sideplates supported in vertical position on the base frame and in spacedrelationship with respect to each other between said side frames, atleast two mould end plates supported in vertical position on the baseframe, a resilient mounting for said frame structure, and a vibratinghead attached to the upper end of said side frames and rigidly bridgingsame when attached thereto to form a rigid assembly with the framestructure which vibrates as a unit on said resilient mounting, saidvibrating head including troughshaped Walls for channeling the concretemix into the spaces between the mould side plates.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said mould end plates aremovable toward and away from each other for changing the length of theconcrete panel cast by the apparatus.

3. Apparatus for casting concrete panels comprising a frame structurehaving a pair of side frames and a base frame, at least two mould sideplates supported in vertical position on the base frame and in spacedrelationship with respect to each other between said side frames, atleast one of said side plates being fixed and at least one other beingadjustable toward and away from the fixed one, at least two mould endplates supported in vertical position on the base frame, a resilientmounting for said frame structure, and a vibrating head attached to theupper end of said side frames and rigidly bridging same when attachedthereto to form a rigid assembly with the frame structure which vibratesas a unit on said resilient mounting, said vibrating head beingdetachable from said frames for use with another like apparatus whilethe concrete sets in the first-mentioned apparatus.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein there are at least threevertical mould side plates disposed in side-by-side relationshipdefining the sides of two moulds each adapted to produce a concretepanel with the middle mould side plate being fixed and said two outsidemould side plates being movable toward and away therefrom.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said vibrating head alsoengages said middle mould-side plate. 6. Apparatus as defined in claim`5, wherein the middle mould side plate is fixed by means of taperedpins carried by said base frame and by said vibrating head.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said vibrating head includesa vibrator frame attached to said side frames and engaging said middlemould side plate, said vibrator frame having trough-shaped walls forchanneling the concrete mix into the spaces between the mould sideplates.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, further including an outer framedisposed outside said first-mentioned frame structure said outer framebeing fixedly mounted to a supporting surface.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said outer frame includesmotive devices connected to at least one of the mould side plates formoving same.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 684,773 10/ 1901 Anderson 249-158X 2,545,029 3/ 1951 Hemb. 3,292,216 12/ 1966 Colombo 249-158 X J.SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner DE WALDEN W. JONES, AssistantExaminer U.S. Cl. X.R.

